Photo By Sgt. Alex Fairchild | Alejandra Kwiatkowski, the United Service Organizations (USO) Camp Foster field...... read more read more
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CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JAPAN -- Camp Foster United Service Organizations spreads joy and positivity to service members by delivering Valentine’s Day gifts customized by their families back at home.
“The USO came walking into my work station, and it was a complete mystery why they were there,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Hayden Huntington, a native of Norwalk, Ohio, and a tropospheric scatter radio multi-channel equipment operator with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18. “As soon as they walked up to me, I realized that my parents had sent me a gift, and I couldn’t hold back my smile.”
Operation Valentine began with a single information post, on the USO’s facebook page, about their new gift giving idea. From there, it allowed families to request and personalize gifts to be delivered, Feb. 11, to service members aboard Camp Foster, Camp Lester and Plaza Housing.
Within Huntington’s gift contained a personalized message from his family, a photograph of his dog and a bag of Valentine’s Day themed candy.
“Stationed overseas and away from your family can be difficult,” said Huntington. “I was so grateful to receive this gift, and it was an additional reminder that my family is looking out for me at home.”
He expressed how truly grateful he was to be a recipient of the USO’s kindness because he now has an additional reminder of home and his canine friend. He said he could feel the impact of the USO’s outreach extending to him through Operation Valentine.
“Operation Valentine was a brand new idea we had this year, and it blossomed into a huge success,” said Alejandra Kwiatkowski, a native of Moscow, Idaho, and the USO Camp Foster field programs manager. “Over 40 families signed up to give customized gifts to their loved ones. We had the fortune of delivering them and putting a smile on everyone’s face.”
Kwiatkowski said that seeing first hand how the USO is making an impact in the life of service members and their families, is heartwarming. It’s the main reason she continues to organize events like these that help maintain personal relationships from afar.
“Keeping service members’ warrior spirit high is critical to their mission,” said Kwiatkowski. “A large part of that spirit is maintained by keeping connections strong with their families. A lot of service members haven’t been able to see them possibly for over a year due to the pandemic.”
For more than 75 years, the USO has been the nation’s leading organization to serve the men and women in the U.S. military, and their families, throughout their time in uniform. From the moment they join, through their assignments and deployments, and as they transition back to their communities, the USO is keeping service members and their families connected to family, home and country.
For more information on upcoming events, visit https://okinawa.uso.org/usocampfoster
| Date Taken: | 02.11.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 02.12.2021 01:51 |
| Story ID: | 388956 |
| Location: | CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 172 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Operation Valentine: USO keeps service members connected with their families, by Sgt Alex Fairchild, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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